LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S CHAPTER
SIGNATURE
417
JUNE 24, 2025 PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 356 - L.D. 537
An Act to Prohibit the Doxing of a Minor and to Authorize a Related Civil
Action
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §4651, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 2017, c. 455, §1, is further
amended to read:
C. A single act or course of conduct constituting a violation of section 4681; Title 14,
section 9102; Title 17, section 2931; or Title 17‑A, section 201, 202, 203, 204, 207,
208, 209, 210, 210‑A, 211, 253, 254, 255‑A, 256, 258, 259‑A, 259‑B, 260, 261, 282,
283, 301, 302, 303, 506, 506‑A, 511, 511‑A, 556, 802, 805, 806, 852 or 853.
Sec. 2. 14 MRSA c. 765 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 765
DOXING OF MINOR PROHIBITED; CIVIL ACTION AUTHORIZED
§9101. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms
have the following meanings.
1. Close relation. "Close relation" means, with respect to a person, a current or former
spouse or domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, stepchild, stepparent or grandparent of
that person; a person who regularly resides or within the prior 6 months resided in the same
household as that person; a person with a significant personal or professional relationship
with that person; or a pet of that person or of that person's household or family.
2. Compensatory damages. "Compensatory damages" includes, but is not limited to,
past and future medical expenses, lost earnings, pain, suffering, mental anguish, emotional
distress and loss of enjoyment of life.
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 3. Disclosure. "Disclosure" means the dissemination, distribution, circulation,
sharing, posting, publishing, transmittal or release of information through electronic or
other means.
4. Doxing of a minor. "Doxing of a minor" means the intentional, knowing or reckless
disclosure by a person of personal identifying information of a minor, when the person
making the disclosure consciously disregards a substantial risk that the disclosure will
cause, and in fact the disclosure either directly or indirectly causes:
A. A course of conduct directed at or concerning the minor or a close relation of the
minor that constitutes stalking under Title 17-A, section 210-A;
B. Physical harm to the minor or a close relation of the minor;
C. Serious damage to the property of the minor or a close relation of the minor; or
D. The minor or a close relation of the minor to reasonably fear for the minor's physical
safety or to reasonably fear for the physical safety of a close relation of the minor.
5. Minor. "Minor" means a person:
A. Who has not attained 18 years of age; or
B. Who is 18 years of age or older, meets the age requirement for enrollment under
Title 20-A, section 5201, subsection 1 and is currently enrolled in a public or private
secondary school in the State.
6. Personal identifying information. "Personal identifying information" means:
A. Any of the following information concerning a minor that the minor has not made
and has not authorized another person to make readily apparent to the general public:
(1) Biometric data;
(2) Home address, personal e-mail address or personal telephone number;
(3) Employer's name, address or telephone number; address of employer's website;
the minor's work e-mail address; or the minor's work telephone number;
(4) School name, address or telephone number; address of the school's website; or
the minor's school e-mail address;
(5) Social security number, passport number, driver's license number or state-
issued identification card number;
(6) Credit or debit card number;
(7) Citizenship status;
(8) Medical, financial, educational, consumer or employment information or
records; or
(9) A photograph that was not taken in a public place and that has not previously
been made available to the general public; or
B. A photograph or likeness of a minor, including a photograph that was taken in a
public place or that has previously been made available to the general public, in
combination with:
(1) The minor's legal name, prior name, alias or date or place of birth;
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 (2) Information about the minor's relationship to a close relation; or
(3) Any item of information concerning the minor specified in paragraph A.
§9102. Doxing of minor prohibited
A person may not engage in conduct that constitutes doxing of a minor. A person that
violates this section may be subject to a civil action for damages pursuant to section 9103.
§9103. Civil action for damages
A minor may bring a civil action against a person who violates section 9102 for
injunctive relief, actual damages, compensatory damages, any combination of those
remedies or any other appropriate relief.
1. Attorney's fees and costs. A plaintiff who prevails in a civil action under this
section is entitled to an award of attorney's fees and costs.
2. Punitive damages. A plaintiff who proves by clear and convincing evidence that
the doxing of a minor was committed with malice or motivated by the race, color, religion,
ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity
or expression, physical or mental health condition or disability of the minor or of a close
relation of the minor is entitled to an award of punitive damages in addition to any other
remedy.
3. Defenses. It is a defense to a civil action brought pursuant to this section that a
person disclosed personal identifying information of a minor for the sole purpose of:
A. Reporting conduct that was reasonably believed to be unlawful or to constitute a
crime to a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency;
B. Publishing, disseminating or reporting conduct by a public official, law
enforcement officer or law enforcement agency that was reasonably believed to be
unlawful, to constitute a crime or to constitute an abuse of authority; or
C. Engaging in lawful activity protected by the United States Constitution or the
Constitution of Maine pertaining to speech, assembly, press or petition, including to
address a matter of public concern.
4. Minors as parties. A minor may be a party to an action under this chapter only
when the minor has a representative through whom the action is brought or defended
pursuant to the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 17(b).
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 417: 5.4651